JASPER, Ind. — Angela Stanford took advantage of Trish Johnson’s late collapse Saturday at Sultan’s Run to win the Senior LPGA Championship.
Five strokes back entering the day and four behind playing the final hole, the 45-year-old Stanford birdied the par-4 18th for a 7-under 65 and an eventual one-stroke victory over the 57-year-old Johnson.
“When I saw the leaderboard coming up 18, I saw Trish was at minus-13,” Stanford said. “I think at that point I was pretty upset because I felt like I didn’t have a chance, which is probably why that putt went in. I hit it pretty hard because I was pretty upset with myself.”
After making four straight birdies, Johnson had a triple bogey on No. 17, and Stanford soon birdied 18 to make it a four-shot swing. Johnson bogeyed 18, missing a 12-foot par putt. The Englishwoman shot a 71.
“Not much more you can say really, just a horrendous finish,” Johnson said. “It was obviously very, very disappointing. Literally throwing the tournament away, but life goes on. There are worse things.”
Stanford finished at 10-under 206 for her first Legends Tour victory. She birdied six of the first 13 holes in the bogey-free round.
Karrie Webb closed with a 69 to finish third at 8 under. Silvia Cavalleri was third at 6 under after a 69.
Stanford, a seven-time winner on the LPGA Tour, is off to California to play the U.S. Women’s Open next week at Pebble Beach.
“I’m leaving with more confidence than I had before I came here, that’s for sure,” Stanford said. “I think I just figured some things out and I got my mind right this week. I have had some confidence issues lately and this week was figuring out how to get back to basics.”